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It’s easier to market “psychedelics” than meditation, prayer or something like DBT. We should learn from that and try to make more things as popular as psychede

It’s easier to market “psychedelics” than meditation, prayer or something like DBT. We should learn from that and try to make more things as popular as psychedelics. “Put this little square of paper on your tongue” is much less of an ask than “sit in chair for 30 minutes everyday and be mindful of your breathing.” It’s like the McDonald’s approach to mental health, and who doesn’t love McDonald’s! Over a billion served. Psychedelics scale similarly.

ActorNightly 5y ago
Psychs are absolutely not comparable to "sober" activities. While things like meditation have benefits, you are still largely operating in the same regimes within the neural network in the brain. The main idea behind psychs is that they allow you to operate in a vastly different regimes. And, unlike McDonalds, and compared to other drugs, they are INCREDIBLY safe. It should be a no brainer for anyone needing them to use them.
chiggsy 5y ago
If it works, and that's all it takes, that's fantastic! But you have an incredible solution too it seems? “sit in chair for 30 minutes everyday and be mindful of your breathing.” Now this is great advice for everybody. Unless during these quiet times the weight of the world lays upon you, or your grasp over your inhibitory system is not sufficient to find stillness, never mind finding discipline of the breath. What about the people who's affliction is not due to some implied lack of industry or effort? What if the problem is not ... sloth?* ... but actually a flaw in the brain, or imbalance? I guarantee you that there are not a billion people who are gagging for psychedelics as a solution to their mental problems. The question is: Are they in fact a solution? Prayer: Unless you are praying to some entity who publishes regularly, I feel this avenue has been tried and found to be lacking. [*] I do not endorse this concept. I don't think you can just "apply yourself" and heal your mind, any more than you can do could with your lung cancer. Sure it helps, but we'd like to minimize the suffering, not endure as much as possible.

ActorNightly 5y ago

Psychs are absolutely not comparable to "sober" activities. While things like meditation have benefits, you are still largely operating in the same regimes within the neural network in the brain. The main idea behind psychs is that they allow you to operate in a vastly different regimes. And, unlike McDonalds, and compared to other drugs, they are INCREDIBLY safe. It should be a no brainer for anyone needing them to use them.

chiggsy 5y ago

If it works, and that's all it takes, that's fantastic! But you have an incredible solution too it seems? “sit in chair for 30 minutes everyday and be mindful of your breathing.” Now this is great advice for everybody. Unless during these quiet times the weight of the world lays upon you, or your grasp over your inhibitory system is not sufficient to find stillness, never mind finding discipline of the breath. What about the people who's affliction is not due to some implied lack of industry or effort? What if the problem is not ... sloth?* ... but actually a flaw in the brain, or imbalance? I guarantee you that there are not a billion people who are gagging for psychedelics as a solution to their mental problems. The question is: Are they in fact a solution? Prayer: Unless you are praying to some entity who publishes regularly, I feel this avenue has been tried and found to be lacking. [*] I do not endorse this concept. I don't think you can just "apply yourself" and heal your mind, any more than you can do could with your lung cancer. Sure it helps, but we'd like to minimize the suffering, not endure as much as possible.